Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	preach_v	1,996	5	6.8683	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96865	Church-members set in joynt. Or, A discovery of the unwarrantable and disorderly practice of private Christians, in usurping the peculiar office and work of Christs own pastours, namely publike preaching. In way of answer to a book printed under the name of Lieutenant Edmund Chillenden (but indeed none of his) entituled Preaching without ordination. Wherein all the arguments by him produced, are fully answered and disproved, the truth of the contrary evidenced, and the office forementioned, thereby returned into the hands of the right owners. / By Filodexter Transilvanus.	Woodbridge, Benjamin, 1622-1684.	1648 (1648)	Wing W3423; Thomason E422_3; ESTC R204785	29,729	41

seeing you are divided into Sects according to the names and number of them that Baptized you I am glad that I Baptized no more of you then I did because I would not be the Captaine and Ring-leader of a Sect. This I say seemes to be the plain meaning of the words which cleerely holds forth to me that Apollo Baptized as well as Paul or Peter and therefore was a Minister in Office as well as they Let us heare what Chillenden hath to the contrary Chill 1 Saith he The Scripture is altogether silent in it Answ Not altogether for what I have spoken for it I have spoken from Scripture And if the Scripture had been altogether silent yet were it nothing to the purpose for there were many Elders of whose ordination the Scripture speaks not a word but leaves us to infer they were ordained because they did the works of Elders As Crispus Tychicus Titus Demas and others Chill 2 Saith he We only find this of him in Scripture that he was instructed in the way of the Lord c. Answ Whether this be true or no let the Reader judge from what I have spoken of him Chill 3 Saith he He could be no Officer in the Jewish Church because he imbraced Jesus Christ nor in the Gentile Church because he knew only the Baptisme of John Answ Bables as if first there were no Church of the Jewes yet that embraced Christ and beleeved 2. As if he might not be a Minister of the Gentiles though he knew only the Baptisme of John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expertus He experienced onely the Baptisme of John That is he was Baptized onely with Johns Baptisme and the Holy Ghost had not fallen upon him in such sort as upon the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospell in those dayes which is spoken to his commendation and the magnifying of the Grace of God in him that he should be so knowing in the way of God and fervent in the work of God though he had been Baptized only with water into the Name of Christ which was Johns Baptisme Act. 19. 4. and had not received the Holy Ghost as it was then dispenced which was Christs Baptisme in distinction from Johns Matth. 3. 11. He shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire 3. As if he might not be an Evangelist as Timothy was and so no setled Officer in any Church but an itenerant Preacher to every Church where he came which for my part I think is the truth because he travelled up and down with the Apostles And so much for his third Argument Chill Act. 8. 4. therfore that they were scattered a road went every where Preaching the word And Act 11. 19 20. It was the Church that were scattered therefore it was the Church that Preached and all the Church at Jerusalem were not ordained Officers Answ The most that can be made out from this Argument is this That to Preach some times upon occasion when by reason of persecution we may not enjoy our own Teachers and have no other helpe but our own gifts is lawfull But with what appearance of consequence doth it follow from hence that it is not onely lawfull but necessary for so Chillenden makes it for a private gifted man though not ordained to preach in a Church already constituted and under the order of the Gospell where Ministers may be and are ordained in a regular way and their people may have free accesse to them Necessity sometimes is instead of a Call These that were scattered grant that they were private Christians did not therefore preach because they were gifted for then they should have preached before persecution had scattered them But the present necessity was instead of an Ordination at least it was a Call of God for them to preach without Ordination when by reason of disturbances Ordination could not be had 2. But the Text sayes not that the Church was scattered abroad but they all were scattered abroad which particular they refers not to the whole Church but unto those who kept company with Christ while he lived and with his Apostles at Jerusalem after he was ascended even the 70 Disciples Act. 1. 15 21. who were all or most Evangelists 1. From the very beginning of the Book the Evangelist sets himselfe to relate the Acts of the Apostles together with the 70 Disciples though he instanceth most in Peter declaring how the spirit promised to be given them after Christs ascention did work effectually in their Ministery Therefore here he observes the same method 2. This is the more probable because he instanceth so suddainly and immediately in Philip ver 5. thereby shewing whom he meaneth-by they all vers 4. For had he spoken of a man that had pertained to a new company of whom he had made no mention before he would then have said a certain man named Philip or some such expression to give notice that he was directing his speech to another and a new subject But speaking so immediately of Philip it argues he is still upon the same company I meane the 70 Disciples who abode with the Apostles and received their commission from Christ as well as the Apostles upon whom also the Holy Ghost was powred down together with the Apostles Act. 2. they were therefore men ordained by Christ himselfe John 15. 16. to go and preach the Gospell Chillenden grants that Philip was ordained but it was saith he to be a Deacon an Office that did not bind him to preach Not remembring that the same man is expresly called an Evangelist Act. 21. 8. and that after he was chosen a Deacon and such as he was such seeme all the rest to be even Evangelists 3. It is said they went every where as Evangelists were wont to do preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is in the Greek a word that is never used but for preachers by function and though the word be a participle denoting an act and not a faculty yet it alwayes notes such an act as is performed by vertue of an Office 4. They did not only preach but it should seem they did Baptize too Act. 8. 12. 16. 38. and though Philip be the man whois there onely mentioned yet it is most probable that the rest who were scattered abroad Baptized also For Act 11. 21. a great number beleeved and turned to the Lord. Now the manner in those dayes vvas to Baptize men so soone as ever they made profession of Faith Act. 22. 16. and Act. 2. c. And therefore vve are to think the same of these at Antioch that they also were Baptized nay the rather because there is no other time mentioned vvhen nor person by vvhom they vvere Baptized Some of the Apostles vvere aftervvards sent dovvn to themfrom Jerusalem not to Baptize them but rather to confirm give the holy Ghost to them being already Baptized for that I find to be the end of their undertaking many other journeyes of the

Church-Members SET IN JOYNT OR A Discovery of the unwarrantable and disorderly practice of private christians in usurping the peculiar Office and work of Christs own Pastours namely PUBLIKE PREACHING In way of Answer to a Book printed under the name of Lieutenant Edmund Chillenden but indeed none of his entituled Preaching without Ordination Wherein all the Arguments by him produced are fully Answered and disproved the truth of the contrary evidenced and the Office forementioned thereby returned into the hands of the right owners By Filodexter Transilvanus Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Jer. 23. 21. I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied Matth. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves London Printed for EDMUND PAXTON and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls chain over against the Castle Tavern neer to the Doctors Commons 1648. To all the faithfull in Christ Jesus and all other my Country-men who may chance at any time to be Readers of this Book BRETHREN MY hearts desire and prayer to God for you all is that you may be saved and that you may bee rooted and established in the faith of that Christ and Gospel which you have received and by which also you are saved if you continue stedfast unto the end be not removed from him that hath called you into the grace of Christ to give ear to seducers and false prophets who pervert the Gospel of Christ and subvert the faith of many Questionlesse the dayes are come upon us of which our Saviour hath foretold us long ago that many false prophets shall arise and deceive many yea if it were possible the very elect themseles who may therefore the more abundantly rejoyce in this confidence that God will keep them by his owne power through faith unto salvation when they shall perceive themselves planted upon a rock that is higher then the gates of hell stronger then the raine and tempests that assault them by the power of which they are enabled to stand even in such times as these which are the worst of times when so many hundreds fall on the right hand and on the left Amongst many other meanes which God J doubt not will teach you to make use of for your continuance in the faith the matter of this ensuing Treatise gives me occasion to speak of one which is a high prising of and diligent attendance upon the ministry ●he word that word I meane which is preached by those who are sent of God and this Church for the same purpose In my short experience I have observed that the Divells grand designe for the raising of his own Kingdome hath beene in all ages to hinder the efficacie and authority of the publik Ministry In the daies of Antichristian darknesse there was either no preaching at all or none but that which was delivered in a strange language by which the people received no benefit In latter dayes under the Prelates tyranny here in England what stone was left unrolled to discourage and undermine the most saithsull holy and learned ministers either by withholding from them a competent maintenance whiles many a prophane superstitious dotard and dumbe dogge had more then enough or by injoyning an ungodly compliance to humane and antichristian inventions Ceremonies Oathes Subscriptions c. which their consciences could not away with Hence many professors made it the greatest part of their religion and made this their rest even to goe up and downe to heare Sermons and speak against those persons or things that were the occasion of muzling the mouthes of so many of Gods messengers In these dayes the doore is opened so wide that who so will may now take upon him that high and holy calling and under pretence of preaching the Gospel vent privately and publikely all manner of untruths and because they cannot raise themselves to that high pitch of preferment which they aime at as long as godly Ministers beare witnesse against them both in Pulpits and Presses therefore they possesse their Proselites with all the prejudice they can against their Ministers either their calling is Antichristian or they are men of an Old Testament spirit or at best they are Black-coats Hence many who have acknowledged often with much comfort that God had made their Minister instrumental not onely to turne them first unto God but to build them up in faith and knowledge and all grace and have formeriy loved them so dearly that they could even have pulled out their eyes to have done them good yet now they disfrequent their company and their Ministry and lay themselves open thereby to all manner of Temptations and delusions and the farther they fall away the higher they raise up themselves in their owne esteeme giving forth that they are all taught of God and hence they take upon them desperatly to broach all manner of proud Atheistical conceits one questions whether there be any Heaven or Hell or any Resurrection from the dead another thinks himselfe to be as good a Christ as Christ the Lord and doth not fear to say that the God-head is as much in him as it was in Christ c. whose distemper is the more despreate because the nature of it is to admit of no remedy In the middest of this confusion whether shall we fly The Land is become like some deepe pit in a wildernesse into which are fallen Toades Mice Frogs Serpents and all manner of vermin and there they bite and devoure one another Religion is turned into a very gallimafra of errours and heresies and each heresy brands all other doctrines with the name of Heresie besides it selfe The wise and eternall God which made the world out of a Chaos and brought light out of darknesse in his rich mercy bring light and order out of this dismall hellish confusion and let all that love the Truth say Amen In order to which end I have under-taken in this ensuing Treatise according to the ability I have received to make forth this truth against Chillenden and all his followers that there is no ground either in reason or Scripture for private persons though never so well gifted to preach publickly unlesse they be thereto caled by the Church intending shortly if God permit to prove positively from the Scriptures that preaching is a work peculiar to Church-officers And before the Reader peruse the Treatise it selfe I shall desire him to take notice of these two particulars 1. That al the arguments which I have here undertaken to answer are stolen out of a Booke of Robinsons the famous Separatist entituled The peoples plea for prophesying I believe Chillenden would be content that the child should be divided for if it be wholly given to the right father upon my credit Chillenden must have no part in it 2. I have not taken

notice of many places of Scripture written in the margin but of those onely to which he doth expressely referre his Reader partly because they are very unequally ascribed not paralell to the line to which they refer and partly because most of them are places from which he borrows words or phrases occasionally mentioned nothing at all pertaining to the maine scope many other things of lesse consequence I have passed over but nothing of moment as I know of Farewell F. T. Imprimatur Edm. Calamy An Answer to a Book entituled Preaching without Ordination THe Lieutenant before he comes to speak a word to the Question by himselfe propounded in the fore-front of his Book viz. Whether men may Preach except they be Ordained premiseth many things to consideration which are neither of any necessary dependance upon each other nor of any use imaginable either to the cleering and well stating of the Question or to the confirmation of his own opinion touching the Question For which reason I shall not now retreat so farre from the businesse in hand as to make an incursion upon his praecognita things which neither of us are concerned in as to this present controversie but shall there begin to answer where hee begins to make good his undertaking after hee hath brought about the Question as it were by countermarch into its former place and applyes himselfe to the proofe of the affirmative namely that it is lawfull for a person not ordained to Preach Thus farre onely I shall follow him as to make use of his method in premising some few Positions for the better stating of the Question between him and mee First then I cannot but take notice that every one of his stolen Arguments whereby hee labours to evince the lawfulnesse of preaching without Ordination are of equall force to prove the lawfulnesse of preaching without the Churches choyce and approbation the thing wherein himselfe and others of his way doe place the very essentials and vitals of a minister as to any outward call as may be seen in his positions Pag. 2 and 3. and then to what purpose is a Liberty of Choosing their Minister given to every particular congregationall Church as the thing whereby he is made a minister seeing every private gifted Christian eo ipso because gifted may take upon him to preach publikely though neither ordained nor yet Chosen by the Chruch for such an intrinsicall connexion doth this Author make between gifts and preaching that if his Arguments be sound there neede not intervene so much as the Chruches Election nay farther not so much as a tryall of those ministeriall gifts qualifications which himself acknowledgeth to be requisites before a person be ordained Thes 6. 2. I desire the Reader to take notice that when we preach for Ordination as a thing requisite to a Preacher we are to be understood according to the Analogy of these following advertisemntes 1. That by Ordination we mean an act of the Church whereby a person is solemnly set apart for the dispensation of the word Seales and Censures by way of peculiar office we doe therefore at this time wave all disputes about the persons ordaining and all other rites and circumstances pertaining to Ordination 2 Preaching we take in the strictest sense for an explication and application of the Word of God with all authority to the information exhortation reproof or comfort of them that hear 3 We acknowledge it a duty incombent upon all Christians whether eminently gifted or no even the least and meanest to reprove exhort in struct and comfort one another as occasion shall be offered in away of love and of equall and mutuall interest as members spiritually of one another and heyres together of the kingdome of life 4 In a Church that hath not its compleat constitution and organization which Chillenden Calls a Church not perfectly brought under Gospel order or in other Cases of absolute necessity we admit in reason of a liberty for private gifted Christians to preach the word though the Scripture hath neither any particular precept for it nor clear patterne of it as I know of Yet in no case can it be allowed that any private Christian though never so well gifted shall take upon him to preach to any Church unlesse he have at least the election and approbation of that Church which we suppose to be a sufficient outward call when the Churches condition is as it may be such as that it is morally impossible to have a better Jus divinum positivum cedit juri divino naturali when they are inconsistent each with other 5 If any Christian hath others in subjection under him he hath thereby authority to instruct reprove and exhort them out of the word of God Men were made immediatly for God immediatly for one another or for one another in the Lord. Religion hath the command of all mens faculties conditions and actions to referre and order them immediatly to Gods glory that the whole man may live wholly unto God He must therfore live unto God in respect of his power over others that is his power over others must be ordered and improved to Gods glory else he lives not wholly to God Hence we grant that a father or master in his family may instruct exhort and command his children and his household to doe justice and judgment A King or Magistrate in the Common-wealth may exhort and command his subjects to the generall dutyes of Religion For Religion refers all power to a Spirituall end But some power is immediatly Spirituall as the power of the Ministers of the Gospel the immediate end or object whereof is the Spitituall good of their people Other power is more remotely Spirituall which though it ames at Spirituall good yet it attaines it not but by the intervention of that power which is immediately Spirituall v. 8. The Magistrate ought to looke to the spirituall good of his people therefore he may command them to give diligent attendance to the Word preached and to practise according to what is taught and may make use of many perswasives and dissuasives as he thinks fit which is as much as any of the Kings of Israel ever did in any of their instructions or publique exhortations to their people The like may bee said of all other power domestique or military These things being premised the truth I shall undertake to defend against Mr. Chillenden is this That it is utterly unlawfull for any Christian whatsoever gifted or not gifted to take upon him ordinarily to Preach the Word in the name of the Lord with all authority before the Church publiquely assembled unlesse he be called and set apart thereto by the Church Hereof I might bring proofe sufficient but my warre is at this time defensive not offensive Let us therefore try what strength our adversary is of Having therefore first supposed that Churches have power to choose yea and to Ordain which is false their own Officers he inferres thus

A Candle is lighted to be set in a Candlestick The Candlestick in the Reddition must be the Church as Rev. 1. 12 13. They that are set in a Candlestick proportionably are the Ministers of the Gospel who shine forth more eminently as Lights in the Church They must therefore first be set in the Candlestick before they can give light to them that are round about And how is that done By being gifted and doubtlesse not so onely Act. 13. 47. So hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles c. Cor. 12. 28. God hath sent in his Church not gifted men but Officers Apostles c. And our Saviour speaking the same parable Luke 11. does put an accurate distinction between the light of his Ministers and the light of eminent gifted Christians of the former he sayes that they are set in the Church or Candlestick that they may give light unto others ver 33. And of them that receive this light he saith they are thereby enlightned not so much to enlighten others though that also they ought to do in their place as to make themselves lightsome and glorious in the Church ver 36. Chill Talents must not be hid in a Napkin Answ What then Therefore every man may improve his Talent in a disorderly way This is fine reasoning peradventure a subject in some kingdome may be every way better qualified for the well managing of the Scepter then the King himselfe may he therefore take upon him to dethrone his lawfull King and set up himself in his place A woman may possibly have more wisdom then her husband in the family or more knowledge grace then a Minister in the Church may she therfore usurp authority over her husband in the family or over her Pastor in the Church the truth is this excellent principle miserably perverted hath been the darke Cellar wherin that powder hath been hid which hath almost blown up all Government both in the State and Church and Army and hurld all things into black confusion And I am sorry that any of my Country-men especially such as pretend to Religion and the feare of God should border so neere upon the Spirit of Corah as to be of the same mind and to speak the same language Numb 16. 3. They gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron saying you take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are Holy every one of them and the Lord is amongst them wherefore then lift you up your selves against the Congregation of the Lord The same answer therefore which Moses gives to them may I returne to Chillenden and all others that make use of this Argument ver 9 10. Seemeth it but a small thing to you that the God of Israel hath separated you And hath brought you neere to him and seeke you the Priesthood also Surely he that hath a Talent and employes it not shall be esteemed an unprofitable servant Every gift hath its 〈◊〉 yet every Christian must remember that he hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12 4. his own proper work in the performance of which he ought to abide with God 1 Cor. 7. 24. Can the hand do no service in the body because it is not the head In Fine if there be any man in the Church that hath the spirit of Grace government wisdome and utterance whereby he is fitted to preach the Gospel though he hath not that measure of knowledge in languages and other Arts as were desireable yet if he be sound in Faith in Doctrine and in manners he shall do a work acceptable to God and the whole Church will thank him if he shall desire the Office of a Bishop 1 Tim. 3. 1. suffer himselfe to be proved ver 10. and being approved to be ordained by the laying on of hands chap. 5. 22. And I am apt to think that no man who doth sincerely intend to preach the word of truth as it is in Jesus and affects not an unwarrantable liberty of preaching when he list and desisting when he list which being ordained he may not doe I say I am apt to think hee cannot really stick at that order of admission and entrance into the Ministery to which the Scripture gives such a cleere and abundant Testimony And thus much for the first Argument and for all the pieces of Arguments which are here and there immethodically scattered up and down which are neither sufficient to prove the whole scope of the Author nor yet have any dependance on any proposition of the grand Arguments As for the two objections which Chillenden proposeth to himselfe and answereth let him that ownes them make them good for my part I would be loath to defend a truth of GOD with such objections though in the latter of the two I conceive there is more strength then Chillenden is aware of if it be well pointed I shall say nothing to it now because I shall have occasion to make it good anon onely this I cannot but observe once for all that this Lieutenant is very good at making Jack a Lents and then insulting over them with drawn sword here I could have thee and there I could have thee I presume no judicious man could ever have it in his mind to make such slender objections as I often meet with in this little Pamphlet and therefore I suppose they are egges of his own hatching But let us passe them over and come on to the next Argument Chillend 2 Chron. 17. 7 8 9. The Princes of Judah who were no ordained Ministers Preached the Law to the people Answ I cannot beleive our Lieutenant read this Scripture over twice The text saies expressely that the Priests and Levites preached For thus runs the words v. 8 9. with them he sent Levites even Shemaiah c. and with them Elisham and Iehoram Priests And they taught in Iudah and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them Here is not one word of the Princes preaching It is said indeed ver 7. that the King sent to his Princes to teach in the Cityes of Iudah The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pyhell ad faciendumdiscere to make them to learne or to see them taught to wit by others as Ashpenaz is commanded togather some of the children of Israel together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach them the Language of Caldea Is it imaginable that Ashpenaz the chiefe of all the Noble men in the kingdom did teach them himselfe doubtlesse he did it by others as these Princes also did and so Rabbi Solomon Iarchi expounds it It was proper saith he to the Priests and Levites to teach and instruct but the Princes went with them least they should have rebelled against their words that they might compell them to obey c. what a monstrous abuse of Scripture is this to interpret it against the very Letter of the text Chill It is evident by the